When it comes to shopping, summer means all the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Those two events are some of the greatest shopping days all year, but there are plenty of opportunities to catch great deals between them too. Shoppers can enjoy great discounts from retailers’ annual sales, end of season sales, and various holidays. Let’s take a look at what each one of the three summer months hold in store for us, literally:
JUNE
What are the best shopping holidays in June?
June starts with Father’s Day sales, this year the day itself is on June 16th, so you still have some time. The window for sales is quite large with discounts kind of continuing after Memorial Day and getting bigger as Father’s Day approaches. The best online sales are during the first week of June, so don’t miss out and get gifts delivered in time.
What are the best things to buy before Father’s Day?
Most of the sales concentrate on stuff every dad would like, such as tools, tech, and BBQ accessories. The best stores to visit during this time are Home Depot, Lowe’s, Best Buy, and Dell. Furthermore, you can get your dad something fitness related for a good price from Academy Sports + Outdoors, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Cabela’s, and Modell’s. You will find some great gifts for outdoorsy dads at the last two.
Finally, there are plenty of sales on power tools, hiking gear, grills, and lawnmowers. Get any of these and your dad will still have plenty of time to use them before the end of summer.
Other times to consider some retail therapy in June are clothing semiannual sales. Most clothing retailers have huge sales in winter, right in time for the holidays, and again in summer. Visit Victoria’s Secret in early June, Zara in mid-June, and Bath & Body Works early June for some exceptional offers and savings.
The last big shopping event worth mentioning is graduation. This celebration often calls for a fancy meal, so many restaurants offer discounts and gift card deals. Often times when you buy a gift card for $25-$100, you will get an additional $5-$20 card or coupon. The deals end around Father’s Day, but you can cash in your offers all summer long.
What are the best restaurants this year offering graduation discounts?
Check out Fogo de Chao, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chili’s, Applebee’s and many others for the best discounts.
JULY
What are the best sales in July?
The main draw to retail locations in July is the 4th of July celebration weekend. You will find discounts on almost everything and will have an extra day off for shopping.
The most popular categories are clothing, mattresses, appliances, and home décor.
Another shopping celebration is Amazon Prime Day, when all Prime members can enjoy great deals on tech, Amazon smart home devices, Amazon services, subscriptions, and Amazon’s own clothing and home décor brands. Some prices reach the lows of Black Friday, so definitely shop on that day.
When is Amazon Prime Day?
The exact day hasn’t been announced for this year yet, but expect it to be around the middle of July.
To not be outdone, many Amazon competitors hold their own sales around that time, so you don’t have to be Prime member to enjoy special pricing on many products. Walmart, Target, eBay, Macy’s, and Kohl’s call this day Black Friday in July and can definitely compete with Amazon prices.
Finally, there is Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, when the retailer that is not normally known for discounts, now offers some deep savings. This year stop by Nordstrom between July 19th and August 4th for great deals on summer apparel and even new fall lines.
AUGUST
What are the best shopping days in August?
First of all, we have Tax-Free Sales Weekend. Over 20 states participate in this and offer tax-free shopping weekends in late July and beginning of August. Check with your state’s comptroller’s website to find out if your state participates.
The most common tax-free items are clothing, school supplies, computers, books, and educational software. The sales tax is usually around 7%, so these kinds of savings are definitely worthy of your attention. Some states place caps on the non-taxable amount, so be careful not to go over it.
Back-to-school sales are also big in August. They start in early August and cover a lot more than just school supplies. Expect nice discounts on apparel and tech. Apple and Best Buy are the best when it comes to discounted tech items at this time of the year. Discounts on fashion often last through Labor Day in September, giving you enough time to really enjoy shopping while saving.